Portable beer siphon device



United States Patent 3,494,514 PORTABLE BEER SIPHON DEVICE Mack S. Johnston, 26 Hitching Post Drive, Rolling Hills, Calif. 90274 Continuation-impart of applications Ser. No. 587,627, Oct. 18, 1966, and Ser. No. 708,404, Feb. 26, 1968. This application Nov. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 773,389

Int. Cl. B65d 83/00 U.S. Cl. 222-400.8 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The portable siphon device comprises a keg adapter mounted about a keg opening and a dispenser coupler mounted on the keg adapter having a gas inlet passage and a beer dispensing outlet passage. The gas passage includes a chamber in the dispenser coupler for receiving gas from a hand-operated portable plunger-type pump with the beer dispensing outlet including a spout, displacement of which causes beer to flow through the spout under pressure. A relief valve communicates with the air chamber in the dispenser coupler whereby over-pressurization of the keg due to excessive pumping is prevented.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applications Ser. No. 708,404 filed Feb. 26, 1968 and Ser. No. 587,627 filed Oct. 18, 1966 nOW Patent No. 3,422,448; said copending application Ser. No. 708,- 404 being a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 587,627. Oopending application Ser. No. 587,627 is, in turn, a continuation of then copending application Ser. No. 406,682 filed Oct. 27, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved beer siphoning device and particularly relates to an improved picnictype portable beer siphoning device as well as means for preventing over-pressurization of the beer in the keg.

Many problems are associated with the dispensing of beer from conventional kegs among which are problems associated with cleaning the kegs after use, providing fresh beer at the dispensing establishment without contamination by the tapping devices, preventing economic loss and spillage due to surging of the beer through the tapping devices upon initial tapping of the keg as well as the general problem of providing tapping devices which are readily and inexpensively manufactured and compatible with the many existing kegs. These problems are fully described in my aforementioned copending applications Ser. No. 587,627 and Ser. No. 406,682. In such latter applications, there are described and illustrated novel, improved beer tapping devices which eliminate and/or minimize the foregoing and other disadvantages commonly prevailing in the beverage dispensing industry in the manufacture and use of prior tapping devices. In these applications, there is provided new improved keg adapter assemblies; semipermanently disposed within the dispensing opening of the keg, having various novel features including the provisions of enlarged gas passages, improved liquid and gas valves and other features as well as coupler assemblies designed for connection with the keg adapter assemblies at the dispensing establishment which also include various novel features.

An ever-present problem exists in providing satisfactory draft beer at locations remote from those facilities especially equipped to handle and dispense draft beer such as those facilities usually encountered in restaurants, taverns and the like. My aforementioned copending applications Ser. Nos. 587,627 and 406,682 also disclose a picnic-type portable beer siphoning device which forms part of the subject matter of the present invention, the

3,494,514 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 disclosures of my copending application Ser. No. 5 87,627 filed Oct. 18, 1966 and my then copending application Ser. No. 406,682 filed Oct. 27, 1964 being incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth in their entireties.

One particular problem in providing a picnic-type portable beer siphoning device is the provision of a suitable pressure source for attachment to the dispensing unit at the remote location whereby the beer may be properly drawn. The usual CO cylinder provided in facilities normally handling draft beer is, of course, too cumbersome to be readily provided at such locations. There is an inherent danger in improper operation of the CO cylinder and related beer tapping equipment by persons generally unskilled in this type of operation.

Portable pumps of the type employing a piston and cylinder arrangement have been employed as the pressure source in such remote locations. Pumps of this type particularly lend themselves to the tapping of a beer keg at remote locations as they are readily adapted for attachment to the dispensing or siphoning device, develop snfficient pressure to drive the beer from the keg and dispense a satisfactory glass of beer. Additionally, they are easily utilized by people generally unskilled in the mechanics of tapping a keg and drawing satisfactory beer.

Drawing beer in the field or at remote locations employing pumps of this type is subject to the disadvantage that the pressure in the keg cannot be automatically regulated or maintained at a predetermined pressure. The maintenance of keg pressure below a predetermined pressure is all important as excessive keg pressure causes the beer withdrawn from the keg to foam, thus providing an unsatisfactory glass of beer. The most common cause of excess keg pressures in beer tapped at locations remote from the usual proper facilities is excess pumping by the user in the mistaken belief that frequent and continued pumping is necessary to draw a satisfactory glass of beer.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides an improved portable siphoning device which eliminates the foregoing problem and comprises a keg adapter mounted in the opening of a beer keg and a dispenser coupler releasably attached to the keg adapter wherein the dispenser coupler has a gas chamber in communication with a portable pump of the piston and cylinder type via a gas inlet passage formed in the dispenser coupler. The keg adapter has a normally closed valve and the coupler dispenser includes a probe which is displaced by actuation of a beer spout on the dispenser coupler in the form of an inverted J tube to open the keg adapter valve, whereby beer under pressure flows through the keg adapter into the dispenser coupler for dispensing through the spout.

In one form of the picnic-type portable beer siphon device hereof, the gas chamber in the dispenser coupler carries a normally closed relief valve set to open at a predetermined pressure in response to pressures in the gas chamber above the predetermined pressure caused by excessive pumping. Thus, the improved portable beer tapping device hereof can be operated by those unskilled in tapping a keg of beer with the assurance that overpressurization cannot occur and that a satisfactory glass of beer will be drawn.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved beer siphoning device of the type for use in remote locations where there is no readily available dispensing apparatus or source of gas under pressure and having a portable manually operated pump.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved beer siphoning device of the type for use in remote locations wherein controlled dispensing of the beer directly from the beer keg is obtained by simply depressing the curved spout carried by the coupler unit. vide an improved beer siphoning device of the type for use in remote locations having a portable manually operated pump wherein excessive pressurization of the keg is automatically prevented.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved portable beer siphoning device having the foregoing characteristics and wherein a pressure relief valve is located to vent excessive pressures caused by excessive pumping.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIGURE 1 is a schematic view illustrating the improved portable beer siphoning device of the present invention as installed in a conventional beer keg;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating the various parts of the portable beer siphoning device shown in FIGURE 1, the unit being illustrated in its normal position with the beer valve closed;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken about on line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, the unit being illustrated in a dispensing position with the beer valve open;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the beer valve and probe in the coupler unit;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 on an en larged scale and illustrating another embodiment hereof;

FIGURE 7 is a persceptive view of a portion of the keg adapter with parts broken away for ease of illustration;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view thereof; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of still another embodiment hereof.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is schematically shown a conventional beer keg 20 having an opening 22 in its top end wall, in

which opening there is received a keg adapter unit B unit B being semi-permanently installed in the keg 20. A dispenser coupler unit A is releasably connected to adapter unit B to form a tapping assembly as hereinafter amplified. Dispenser coupler unit A; has a gas inlet port 144 to which is clamped one end of a gas conduit 220 as by a ring-type clamp 221 (FIGURE 2), The opposite end of conduit 220 is suitably fixed, as by a like clamp, to the lower end of a pump 218 comprising the usual cylinder and piston, the piston being axially movable within the cylinder as by manual operation of a handle 223. At the upper end portion of dispenser coupler A there is mounted a spout comprising an inverted J- shaped metal tube 226 which coaxially carries an inner plastic tube 222 for dispensing beer from keg 20 in a manner hereinafter described.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 7, the keg adapter unit B comprises a main fitting 76d which includes a generally cylindrical body section 77d having an enlarged flange 78d extending radially outwardly from the upper end thereof. The outer periphery of flange 78d is notched as at 168 and cooperates with a reversed notch portion formed about the edge of the central aperture 172 in a ring 126d which releasably secures the keg adapter B to keg 20.

The lower end of ring 126d is internally threaded as at 190 to receive an externally threaded ring 192. Ring 192 adapts the siphoning unit for connection with the standard so-called Peerless beer keg flange or collar 23 found on conventional beer kegs in most common use. The Peerless beer keg flange 23 has two diametrically opposite cutaway portions and at one end of each of these cutaway portions has a lower depending projection formed integrally with flange 23 on opposite diameters equal to the outer diameter of flange 23. Ring 192 includes inwardly and upwardly projecting diametrically opposed tabs 196 and 198 formed on its periphery, and a pair of inwardly extending stops 200 and 202 (FIG- URE 3) are also formed on the upper periphery of ring 192 and spaced circumferentially from tabs 196 and 198 on opposite diametrical sides of ring 192. With ring 192 underlying flange 23, ring 192 is aligned so that projections of flange 23 fit between respective adjacent tabs 196 and 198 and the abutments 200' and 202.

An O-ring seal 116 overlies the outer face of flange 23 and with main fitting 76d inserted into keg 20 with the cylindrical section 77d thereof lying concentric with flange 23, ring 126d is placed over the upper end of fitting 76d and aligned with flange 78d so that the notched portions will fit together. Thereafter, ring 126d is threaded on ring 192 so that ring 192 is drawn up within the lower inside portion of ring 126d until the upper ends of tabs 196 and 198 butt the underside of flange 23. In this manner, keg adapter unit B is securely locked within opening 22 whereby longitudinal or rotational movement thereof relative to the opening is precluded. Note that the upper surface of flange 78d lies coplanar with the upper surface of ring 126d.

Body section 77d of main fitting 76d has a pair of centrally disposed coaxial bores 82d and 84d formed thereon (FIGURE 7). As seen in FIGURES 7 and 8, there are four longitudinally extending segments 174 positioned evenly about the inner periphery of these two bores and defining between them four substantially identical upper slots or grooves 177. The upper ends of the segments 174 in the lower bore 84d protrude longitudinally slightly above the shoulder 178 formed between bores 82d and 84d thereby forming four radial grooves 180 in the shoulder 178 that interconnect slots 176 and 177 in bores 82d and 84d. The upper portions of segments 174 in upper bore 82d are provided with interrupted threads 182 adapted to receive an externally threaded retainer ring 92d, the lower end of which tightly engages annular rubber valve seat 88d to secure seat 88d between ring 92d and the upper end of the tubular member 184. Member 184 includes an upper portion 185 which fits within bore 82d and a lower portion 187 which fits within the lower bore 84d and extends beyond the lower end of main fitting 76d. A compression spring 97 fits within the upper portion of the member 184 and its lower end rests on the shoulder 189 formed by the juncture of portions 185 and 187 of member 184. Spring 97 biases a beer valve 90d upwardly against the underside of rubber valve seat 88d whereby valve 90d (FIG. 5) is normally closed preventing the issuance of beer outwardly through keg adapter unit B The middle part of the stem portion 98d of valve d is removed so as to enlarge the beer passage space when valve 90d is displaced from seat 88 by operation of spout 22 6 as will become clear from the ensuing description.

A beer tap rod 106d is frictionally or otherwise secured around the lower end 187 of member 184 and extends to the bottom of the keg. Tap rod 106d may be formed of a suitable flexible plastic material. A resilient gas check valve 108d is positioned with a lower portion tightly engaging a peripheral portion of tap rod 106d and the lower end of the keg adapter fitting body section 77d is reduced as at 186 to receive the upper end of the gas check valve 108d which fits tightly around part 187. A slit 109 (FIGURE 1) is formed in the intermediate portion of valve 108d to permit gas or air to pass from the inside of the valve to the interior of the keg when the pressure of the gas is greater than the pressure inside the keg; whereby the ends of valve 108d and slit 109 prevent gas or beer from passing from. the interior of the keg to the inside of valve 108d, thus precluding contamination of the gas feed portions of the tapping device.

The dispenser coupler A comprises a generally cylindrical head 44d having a central vertically extending chamber 136 and integrally formed tubular port 144 extends laterally from head 44d with passage 146 in comrnunication with chamber 136. An annular member 160 is secured about the slightly enlarged lower end of coupler head 44d with a snap ring 162 and retains collar 118d rotatably mounted on coupler head 44d. Collar 118d has a plurality of handle portions 119d formed integrally therewith and is internally threaded as at 124d for cooperation with an externally threaded portion 128d of ring 126d. The bottom of head 44d carries an annular seal 56d which may be an O-ring of neoprene rub-ber providing an annular seal between coupling A and keg adapter B Dispenser unit A; is thus secured to keg adapter B by threading collar 118d onto ring 126d, urging member 1 60 downwardly to compress sealing ring 56d against the upper surface of keg adapter unit B A probe 64f is concentrically positioned within cylindrical chamber 136 and is provided with external grooves mounting O-ring seals 141 and 143 positioned to seal off" the gas passageway and separate it from the liquid passageway. Probe 64f has a central liquid passageway 66] extending therethrough. The upper end of probe '64) receives the lower end of a plastic tube 222 which extends substantially coaxially through curved inverted J-shaped metal tube 226 through which beer is dispensed when beer valve 90d is opened. An annular member 228 surrounds the lower end of tube 222 and the upper end of probe 64 and, like the lower end or tube 222, it abuts the shoulder 230 formed on probe 64 The upper end of member 228 has an outwardly extending flange 232 which engages the bottom of flange 234 formed on the lower end of tube 226.

A collar 235 is threaded on the upper end of head 44d and has a central aperture 236 therein. The size of the aperture 236 is such that tube 226 is easily and freely slidable therethrough while flange 234 abuts the inturned edge 237 of collar 235 surrounding aperture 236. Thus, because of the engagement between flange 234 and collar edge 237, the lower ends of tubes 222, 226, member 228 and probe 64 are retained within bore 136 against the bias of a compression spring 238 which surrounds the probe and is positioned between the shoulder 230 on probe 64 and a shoulder formed between the different diameter portions 140 and 142 of chamber 136. Thus, pressing down on the J-shaped tube 226 causes tubes 226 and 222,

member 228' and probe 64 to move downwardly against the bias of spring 238 and when this downward pressure is released, spring 238 returns these members to the illustrated position.

When dispenser coupler A is secured to key adapter B probe '64 does not open beer valve 90d. To provide beer to the spout, I-tube 226 is displaced against the bias of spring 238 causing probe 64 to move downwardly so that its lower end displaces valve stem 98d downwardly and opens valve 900. against the bias of spring 97 (FIG- URE 4). Beer under pressure from keg 20 then flows up through tap rod 106d, member 184, past beer valve 90d and through valve seat 88d into and through bore 66 in probe 641 and thence discharges through tube 222. To stop the flow of beer, tube 226 is simply released and allowed to return again to the illustrated position under the action of spring 238.

It is a significant feature hereof that excessive air pressures in keg 20 caused, for example, by excessive pumping action of pump 218 by persons unskilled in drawing draft beer and which will cause the beer dispensed from keg to foam providing an undesirable and unpalatable glass of beer are precluded. To this end and in one form hereof, a safety valve generally indicated at 80 (FIGURE 6), is provided for venting excess pressure from chamber 136, whereby air pressure above a predetermined pressure is precluded from entering keg 20. Safety valve comprises a cylindrical housing 82 screw threaded into the wall of head 44d laterally adjacent inlet passage 146. Housing 82 lies in communication at one end with cham ber 136. The outer end of cylindrical housing 82 is apertured as at 84 to receive a valve body comprising a stem 86, a valve body head 8'8, and an enlarged flange 90 on the inner end of stem 86. A coil spring 92 engages between the inner faces of flange 90 and housing 82 about aperture 84 to retain and bias the valve body in sealing position with head 88 closing off aperture 84. It will be seen that when the pressure within chamber 136 exceeds a predetermined pressure, the valve body will be displaced outwardly against the bias of spring 92, thereby venting the excess air pressure in chamber 136 to the atmosphere. Thus, notwithstanding excessive pumping action of pump 218, a perfectly drawn glass of beer can be provided by the foregoing siphoning unit.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, there is illustrated an other form of a pressure relief valve for the coupler unit hereof, the coupler unit A being in all respects similar to the unit shown in FIGURES 1-5 except as modified with respect to the seal 56d as will be described. In this form, the wall of head 44d is provided with a bore 81 adjacent inlet passage 146. Bore 81 receives a soft plug 83, preferably formed of a rubber material, in a friction fit therewith. Thus, when the pressure in chamber 136 exceeds a predetermined pressure as by excessive pumping action of pump 218, such pressure acts on the valve plug 83 to overcome its frictional resistance in bore 81 and blows plug 83 out to vent the excess air pressure in chamber 136 to atmosphere.

Also illustrated in FIGURE 9 is an improved annular seal disposed at the bottom of head 44d about the gas and liquid passages 142 and 66 respectively. Seal 85 is rectangular in cross section and provides an effective seal between the coupler unit A; and key adapter B The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A picnic pump dispensing coupler unit adapted for use in tapping a keg or like container for liquid having an opening in which a keg adapter has been installed, said dispensing coupler unit sub-combination comprising: a coupler head having a bore therethrough; a probe disposed in said bore and having one end projecting therefrom, with a liquid passage formed in said probe; means within the bore of said coupler head for biasing said probe in one direction; means extending exterior of said coupler head for moving said probe in a direction opposite to said one direction; gas passage means in said coupler head, including a portion of the space between said coupler head bore and said probe; and sealing means between said probe and portions of said coupler head for maintaining said liquid passage means and said gas passage means completely segregated.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said probe is an inverted J-shaped tube mounted on said coupler head adjacent said other end of said probe.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said moving means is coupled to the other end of said probe and forms a continuation of said liquid passage means in said probe.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said coupler head has a shoulder, means securing said moving means to said coupler head including a projection carried by said moving means and engageable against said shoulder, said biasing means normally maintaining said projection in engagement against said shoulder.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said moving means includes inner and outer concentric tubular means with said inner means forming a continuation of said liquid passage means in said probe, said coupler head having a shoulder, means securing said moving means to said coupler head including a projection car ried by said outer tubular means and engageable against said shoulder, said biasing means normally maintaining said projection in engagement against said shoulder.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said coupler head includes an externally threaded portion, a collar threadedly engaging said threaded coupler head portion and having an inwardly directed annular flange defining a central opening, said moving means including a tube receivable through said opening and carrying a flange inwardly of said collar engageable against the flange on said collar, said biasing means normally maintaining the flange carried by said tube in engagement against the flange carried by said collar.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said gas passage means includes the annular space between said coupler head bore and said probe, said coupler head and said probe carrying axially spaced respective annular flanges in said annular space, said biasing means including a spring about said probe in said annular space having opposite ends engaging respective annular flanges.

'8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a portable gas pressure source in communication with said gas passage means and comprised of a manually operated pump having a piston movable within a cylinder.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a laterally extending nipple intermediate the ends of said coupler head and having a passage in communication with said gas passage means, said coupler head having a diametrically enlarged flange adjacent the corresponding end thereof as said probe projects, and a collar having a central opening about said coupler head between said nipple and said flange, said. collar being internally threaded for connection with the keg adapter.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means operable in response to gas pressure in said gas passage means in excess of a predetermined pressure to vent said gas passage means.

11. Apparatus according to claim wherein said vent means includes an opening in said coupler head in communication with said gas passage means and a spring biased check valve disposed in said opening.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said vent means includes an opening in said coupler head in communication with said gas passage means and a plug frictionally engaging in said opening.

13. Dispensing apparatus for use in tapping a keg or like container for liquids having top, bottom and side walls with an opening in one wall of said keg comprising a keg adapter having a main body adapted to be secured within the keg wall opening and a liquid passage extending through said body for the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, normally closed liquid valve means in said liquid passage, a gas passage bypassing said liquid passage for transmitting gas through said keg adapter from the outside to the inside of the keg, a valve in said gas passage for permitting transmission of gas toward the inside of a keg and preventing flow of liquid from the keg through the gas passage, a dispensing coupler unit including means for securing said coupler unit to said keg adapter, said coupler unit comprising: a coupler head having a bore therethrough, a probe movably disposed in said bore and having one end projecting therefrom and receivable within at least a portion of the liquid passage in the keg adapter, said probe having a liquid passage formed therethrough, means for biasing said probe in one direction, means extending exterior of said coupler head for moving said probe in the opposite direction to open said normally closed liquid valve in said keg adapter and provide communication between the liquid passages in said keg adapter and said probe, gas passage means in said coupler head including a portion of the space between said coupler head bore and said probe, and sealing means between said probe and portions of said coupler head for maintaining said liquid passage means and said gas passage means in said coupler head completely segregated.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said means for moving said probe is an inverted J-shaped tube mounted on said coupler head adjacent said other end of said probe.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 including means operable in response to gas pressure in said gas passage means in excess of a predetermined pressure to vent said gas passage means.

16. A dispensingcoupler unit adapted for use in tapping a keg or like container for liquid having an opening in which a keg adapter has been installed, said dispensing coupler unit sub-combination comprising: a coupler head having a bore therethrough; a probe movably disposed in said bore and having one end projecting therefrom, with a liquid passage formed in said probe; means within the bore of said coupler head for biasing said probe in one direction; means extending exterior of said coupler head for moving said probe in a direction opposite to said one direction, said moving means being coupled to the other end of said probe and forming a continuation of said liquid passage means in said probe; gas passage means in said coupler head; and means carried by said coupler head for maintaining said liquid passage means and said gas passage means'completely segregated one from the other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner 

